Spring-needle knitting-machine.



F. wlLcoMB. SPRING NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 19M-V RENEWED JAN. 13,1917. @@4273.

Vm L75'.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET! F. WILCOMB.

SPRING NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED APR.14,1914. RENEwED JAN. 13,1917.

1,244,673. Patented 001. 30, 11117.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l 1.9 figa 13 n 3 f4 5 1 15 15' d I6' l\ 1 ml" 8 7 1 4- 31 F. WiLCOlViB.

SPRING NEEDLE KNITTIN MACHINE. APPucATuoN man APR. m,y 1914. nENEwED JAN. la, 19H. L24c473.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

needles, pressers,

ren srnfrus Parar-rr orrrcn.

FRANK wILcoMB, or PAwrucKEr,

RHODE ISLAND.

'RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR ,TO FACTURING COMIANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A

- SPRING-NEEDLE KNrrrING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HEMPHILL LMANU- CORPORATION OF Patented oct. so, 1917.

Application led April 14, 1914, Serial No. 831,797. v Renewed January 13, 1917. Serial No. 142,323.

`out inthe appended claims.

In .the accompanying drawings Figure l is a diagrammatic plan` view of a portion. of the needle circle of a circular spring needle knitting machine, the needles being shown in part in section and in part.

in plan, andl with the presser bits, yarn guard bits and web holders in their proper' relation Fig. 2 is a plan view of a yarn feeding mouth. showing its relation lto 'the needles and other elements of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a'front view of the yarn feeding mouth;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the yarn feed mouth; l

Fig. 5 yis a plan view of part of the knitting head illustrating features relating tothe. yarn feed mouth Fig. 6 is a view of the knitting elements, needles, yarn guard bits, pressers, and web holders in the relationassumed by them at the yarn feeding point,the yarn feeders 'and needle beard pressers being retracted; i Fig. 7 is a view similar'to Fig. 6 with the yarn' guard .bits advanced to hold the yarn close to the needley stems, and with the pressery bit advanced from its retracted position toward pressing position;

\ Fig. 8 isa view similar to Figs. 6'y and-'7, with the yarn guard bits advanced and with the presser bit advanced and pressing the needle beard; j

Fig. 9 is a diagrammaticfront view of the and yarn guard bits, and the yarn feed mouth showing the drawing and evening of the loops across the tops of Jthe .'web holders. 'Il'iis view being on a larger scale than Fig. 1 diierstherefrorn in number of needles lying between the portion of thefeed mouth andthe point where. pressing is done, this being because ofthe lack of spaceV and of which the fol-- the fact that the view is of a diagrammatic character. In other words the knitting wave'in Fig. 9 has been condensed in respect to that-'which would appear from the use of the same number of needles as illustrated in Fig. l.

Fig. 10 shows a ypresser anda feeder.

Radially sliding pressers l are employed one for each needle. These may be operated inwardly for pressing either by a cammeans or by a presser wheel. When a presser wheel is used it operates against the butts of the presser bits, forcing them against the needles to press the beard, and inaddition to these .sliding pressers I employ sliding yarn guard bits 3 of about :the same shape as the pressers with but slightly longer depending front i ends 4. The yarn guard bits are arranged to slide in the ,same grooves with the pressers, and I prefer to have a yarn guard 'bit on each side of each presser, though the invention is not limited in this respect.A A The yarn guard bits 3 are adapted to slide toward the needles far enough to hold the yarn close to the stems thereof, 'but not close enough to crimp the yarn or to sink loops as would be done by sinkers. With the two yarn guard bits, one on each side of the presser, a space between the two guard bits is provided where they project beyond the pressers, intov which opening the needle beard passes as it travels downward 'to grasp the yarn. The pressers and guard bits can be operated by providing suitable operating means to have independent action at any desired place in the needle circle, Vand the yarn ,guard bits may be worked simultaneously withthepressers whenever desired. The pressers and guard bits have butts projecting from their stems for engaging cam paths, the pressers having two butts 5, 6, and the guard bits having one butt. The. guard bit butts 7 laline with the vforward butts i5 of the pressers, and in thecam plate 10 covering the pressers and guard bits there are top of the web holders l1 as possible. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 6.

As the machine revolves, the yarn guard bits advance after the manner of sinkers, but the advance is stopped beforethe 55 wardly inclined portion 13,

guard bit is advanced enough to crimp the yarn or to bring any frictional restraint thereon. Thisposition of the yarn guard bits is indicated in Fig. 1 from thepoint Z) 5 to the point c. It is also indicatedin Figs. 7 and 8. The needles after having received the yarn4 against their stems move downward in the same way as independently operated latch needles.- The beards travel down be- 10 tween the guard bits without coming in contact with the pressers, which are at this time retracted. When 'the needles downward travel is low enough for the needle beard to have seized the yarn, the pressers are then ing heels and toes, and prevent the surplus.

yarn, resulting from the constant changes-in the direction of rotation of the needle circle, from being caught under the web holder hooks. Therefore during reciprocating knitting these guard bits will contact with and hold the yarn close to the. stems of the needles during the reciprocations of the cylinfiel'.

In conjunction with ythe guard bits ,and pressers I have devised a new form of yarn feeder mouth, and means for directing the yarn into the mouth when changing from one yarn to another or for splicing or reinforcing. Itis important that the yarn be fed as low down on the web holder as possible to prevent any ,wavering of the yarn, sometimes ycalled ballooning, and also to lay it in front of the yarn guard bits. I have therefore provided a yarn feeding mouth piece 12 adapted to deliver the yarn close to the stem of the needle and as low as possible to make it lie near the top of the web holders 11g. This feed mouth has a base portionl which fits upon the cam ring, and extending up along the sides of this base portion .are the sides 14. At its inner end the feed `mouth has a depending inthe lower end of which is -close to the needle stern and to 'the topyof the web holders.

This depending portion is provided with a mouth or opening defined by edges 15 in- 60 clining downwardly and outwardly in respect to thecenter of the mouth piece, and this opening with its inclined edges extends to-near the bottom of the depending portion and below the iioor or base portion 13 of the mouth piece. This construction leaves advanced, as*y shown in Fig. 8, and at c,

a cross bar 16 at the bottom l)of the downwardly iared opening. The mouth piece is secured to the cam ring by screws, as. shown in Fig. 2.

From this construction that the corner at 17 at the bottom of the inclined guiding edge is close to the needles and to the tops of the web holders.

. The yarn passes from the yarn finger 21 through the opening in the mouth piece, and owing to the inclined guiding wall 15 of the mouth piece the yarn is deflected downward into the lower corner 17 thereof in close` proximity to the'web holder tops, and is laid between the nee e and the guard l bits. The mouth piece has two walls inclined, as described, to' permit of feeding the needles as they travel in either direction for round knitting, or reciprocating knitting, as in the case of making heels and toes g5 of stockings. 3 y

y'The lower guard or cross bar 16 is necessary to hold the yarn'from entangling with the web holders and guard bitslas the machine travels first one way and then the other. i

In connection with the mouth piece, a device 19 is employed for lguiding the yarn -into they mouth piece as the yarns are changed or when splicing and reinforcing is done. This device may be of various forms, but in the particular construction shown it consists of a nger or rod extending up from the base of the mouth piece. This iinger is detachable from the mouth piece, it being attached as shown in Fig. 5 to the clearing plate-bracket 20 shown in my application #804,025, filed December l, 1913, and when the bracket and clearing plate are lifted away from the "needles for any purpose as, for instance, transferring ribbed tops to the needles, the linger 19 islifted away from the mouth piece to avoid interfering with the transfer cup. When .the l clearing plate and bracket are lowered,- the '110 guard finger 19 fa-lls into a recess vor hole 21 in the mouth piece, sothat the yarn traveling over the surface of the mouth piece will not get caughtv under the -guard finger. The clearer plate, together with. the guard or guide finger 19, is carried by .an arm 20 pivotally mounted to any suitable part of the frame so that itmay be swung up and away from within thev needle circle.

This guard` linger performs the function 1120 of directing or controlling the inoperative yarns which are held in a high position while inoperative, and when ayarn feed finger drops from its elevated linoperative position and lowers the yarn into the needles, the guard wire or finger` 19 prevents the yarn from passingv over the vtop of the inclinedwall ofthe mouth piece.

In other words, the guard" finge:- wire prevent'sany yarn, when raisedcto 33o itwillmbefseen 70 -ing thereof to be guided by its inclined edge and directed tothe inclined 0r wall 15.

It will be seen that the mouth piece above described is Xed to thecam plate of'the machine, position ends of to lie considerably below the upper the needles when these arel elevated. This construction willlpermit the use 'of a transfer cup for transferring ribbed tops, and by using a. guard inger or wire' 19 the advantages of a high mouth piece areobltained without the objection existing theretoof preventing the use of transfer loups, for as above stated whenl the machine is Working any yarn which is raised out of work will be controlled by the gu-ard finger guiding wall of the mouth piece when again thrown vinto work by the lowering of its finger as 21, -but when transferring is to be done the said wire or' finger will be raised and entirely removed from its working position at the same time that swung upwardly and to one side from within the needle circle.V In ei'ect therefore the construction presents a high mouth piece when -yarn feeding is going on, and a low mouth piece when transferring tops is to be done. In Fig. 9 a fingers are shown in their elevated positions to hold their yarns out of work, one yarn linger, however, being in its`lowered sition to place its yarn in work. It'will be seen from this figure that the width of the mouth piece opening is less than the com-A bined width of the yarn fingers. .Notwithstanding this, the yarns will be guided into the mouth piece 'when lowered by the guide or guard linger or wire.

The arrangement of the yarn guard bits independent of pressers presents advantages inasmuch as the guard bits maybe operated entirely independent of the` pressers,.and vice versa. Th ere is an advantage in being able to adjust the guard bits fordil'l'erent sizes of yarn and diderent gages, independently of the pressers, and there is an advantage in being able to adjust the pressers for different sizes of needles independent of the guard bits. Besides, a' decided advan tage in construction exists, as the` guard ybits be made of thin, well tempered metal" vmav smooth on the feeding end, and the pressers likewise may be made independently yand smooth and uniform. The independenceof the yarn guardbits in respect to the pressers and the ability to control these yarn guard bits as may be desired is ane s sential advantage.V .U

the mouthA f `too hard,

and is low enough in structure and It will be understood that the central clearing plate is number of yarn feed j bined ffwith web ho I have referred to the advancement of the f presser to press the needle beards. This -might not always be true, as the needle beard of a very; coarse gage machine might require that the presser be retracted slightly, or to remain stationary when it isteI perform its pressing action to prevent pressing but generally speaking the pressers are advancedfagainst the needle beard from a normally retracted position.

In the plan view, Fig.` l, I show the yarn guard bits advanced and the pressers partly advanced as soon as they have passed the feeder mouth piece.- The pressers beingadvanced or partly advanced at this point has no effectV Whatever, and Aifdesired they might beleft retracted but my pressers and guard bits both 4have butts near the center of the stem and the advancement of one of the elements necessarily advances the other.

sa this center butt j of the presser being of about the vrthickness of the needle and therefore strong, and the guard bits being very thin and consequently having weak butts, the presser ybutt supports the guard bit butt against thef thrust of the cams. -At-.the point 7 justin advance of the pressing pointc' the pressers are retracted by their rear butts working in the cam groove at e. The yobject/of this retraction of the pressers is to permitthe needle beard to'pass down and seize the yarn without'coming into contact-with the pressversA 'at all; When the needle has reached a point for pressing,

v'and yarn guard bits their necessaryv independent or unitary movements.` The pressers are operated ,in most part by their ,outer butts moving in the outside cam groove. Their middle butts are; provided l.to yafford lateral support for the butts of the thin yarn feeders. As thepressers are retractedat the point f I provide the inner cam groove 12o Iwith a space at f to allow forthis retraction. The yarn guard bits, however, remain. forward at this point.- The web holders are independently? and yindividuallyl operated as Iin lmy 'previous application'. for `Letters 125 Patent of the United States =-above greferred to.A

lWIy'inventionv in 'one aspect c'oncernsrthe'V use ofyarn guard bits for the needles,.com

ders 1 and somex suitable 130 the .pressers are ad- 10g.

vanced by theirrearbutts independently of the yarn guard bits.

presser means. lThe web holders and the presser means may be of various forms, but

in the particular 4construction shown the i `presser means consist of the radially sliding bitsabove described and the radially sliding web holders.

The upper surfaces of the web-holders serve assupports for the yarn against downward movement and the yarn guard-bits'act to retain the yarn laterally against the needle shanks, but arenot the means for preventing vertical movement thereof.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, independently operatedsliding spring needles, web holders, individual needle beardpressers independently operated, and individual `yavrnguard bits independently operated to retain the yarn close to the needle stems without sinking and thereby providingl a space for the needle beard to pass downward :between the guardA bits and seize the yarn, substantially as described.-

las

, 2.' In combination in a spring needle .knitting machine, independently operated sliding spring; needles, web holders, individual needle vbeard pressers independently operated vand individual yarn guard bits independently operated to hold the yarn close to the-needle stems` without sinking and thereby 'providinga space for the needle -ers andpressers having their nose ends iyarn witllouty sinking close to the needle stems andthereby providing a space for the needle beard'ltopass downward between the guard bits and seize the yarn, substantially as described.

4a In combination ina spring needle knitting machine, independently operated needles, webholders, individual pressers, and individual yarn ,guard bits holding the yarn closey to. the needle stem without sinking,

said i pressers being located in the same grooves with the guardbits, said yarn feedguided betweenthe web holders.

5.In Icombination lin a spring needle knitting machine, .independently operated needles, yweb holders, individual yarn guard bits holding the yarn against the needlel stems without .sinking individual pressers, the presser. and the yarn guard bit for the same needle being arranged in the same groove, and means for operating the pressers and yarn guard bits independently, substantially as described. f

6. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, independently operated spring needles, web holders, individual pressers independently operated, and individual yarn guard bits independently operated and holding the yarn against the needle stems without sinking, said yarn guard bits being interposed between the web holders, substantially as described.

7. In combination in a spring needle knitw ting machine, independently operated spring needles, web holders, radially sliding individual pressers, and radially sliding individual yarn guard bits for holding the yarn close to the stem ofthe needle without sinksinking, and the independent cams for operating respectively the pressers and yarn guard bits, substantially as described.

l0. In combinationv in aV spring needle knitting machine, independently operated spring needles, web holders, yarn guard bits for retaining the yarn close to the needle stems without sinking'and a yarn feed mouth 'having a portion depending close to the needle stems and to the tops of the web holders and between the inner ends of the yarn guard bits and 'fsaidneedle-stems, said yarn mouth havinginclined guiding edges for the yarn, substantially as described.

1l. In combination in a spring needle knitting ,machine, independently operated spring needles, ,web holders, yarn guard bits for retaining the yarn close to the needle stems without sinking anda yarn feed mouth having a portion depending close to the needle stems and to the tops of the web holders and between the inner 'ends of the yarn guard. bits and said needle stems, said yarn mouth having' inclined guiding edges for'the yarn, and individual pressers.

l2. In combination in a circular knitting machine, spring needles, web holders, guard -means to retain the yarn' close to the needle stems withoutsinking, a yarn feed'mouth having an inner depending'portion extending close to the needles and web holders, and below the top of the guard means, said denee-a pending portion having a downwardly Haring opening with inclined lateral guiding edges for the yarn and having a cross bar or guard at its lower part, the said inclined edges extending down to said cross bar, sabstantially as described.

13. In combination in a, spring needle knitting machine, Web holders, radial individual pressers, radial individual yarn guard bits, means for giving the pressers and yarn guard bits radial sliding movement, and a yarn feed mouth, said pressers and yarn guard bits being reti-acted to pass the yarn feeder mouth, substantially' as described.

14. In combination in a'circular knitting machine, needles, a yarn feed mouth and a removable yarn guide entering an opening in the yarn feeding mouth when in o erative position, and a movable support der said yarn guides-aid guide being removed from said opening When its support is moved to clear the needles for transferring, substantially as described.

15. In combination in a stocking knitting machine, a needle cylinder having rotary and reciprocating movement, Web holders, pressing means, and yarn guard bits to hold the yarn close to the stems of the needles Without sinking, said guard bits preventing ,ers

the surplus yarn from being caught by the web holders during reciprocating knitting, and presenting spaces for receiving the needle beards when seizing the yarn, substantially as described.

16. In combination in' a spring needle knitting machine, independently operated sliding spring needles, web holders, presser means, and one or more yarn guard bits for each needle independent of the web holders to retain the yarn close to the stems Without sinking, said guard bits having spaces between them for the passage of the needle beards, substantially as described.

17. In combination in a spring needle knitting machine, independently operated FRANK VVILCOMB. l

signa- Witnesses:

H. d. Granen, E. S. GURNEY.

' lopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C. v 

